That controversial win over Justin Scoggins? Here's Said Nurmagomedov's take

BOISE, Idaho – Said Nurmagomedov’s verdict differed from the cageside judges’, most fans’, and every MMA media outlet’s.

Of the 17 websites that scored the fight and are tracked by MMADecisions.com, every single one awarded Justin Scoggins (11-5 MMA, 4-5 UFC) a victory over fellow flyweight and promotional newcomer Nurmagomedov (12-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC).

Yet, when the FS1-televised preliminary-card bout ended at CenturyLink Arena in Boise, Idaho, two of three judges awarded the fight to Nurmagomedov – via 29-28, 28-29 and 29-28 scores.

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“For all three rounds, I was pressing him,” Nurmagomedov told MMAjunkie through an interpreter following Saturday’s event. “I was putting a lot of pressure on him, but sometimes I did a mistake. I was staying in front of him too long, but overall, I think I won this fight because I was constantly pressing him.”

It was another setback for Scoggins, a previous member of the USA TODAY Sports/MMAjunkie MMA flyweight rankings who’s slipped out of the top 15 due to his current three-fight skid.

But based on talent alone, Nurmagomedov thinks highly of him.

“He belongs in the top 10 of (flyweights), even despite all of his losses,” he said.

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As for Nurmagomedov, who’s won six straight, he’s now focused on climbing the ladder himself. Of course, the comparisons to his famous cousin – UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov – are inevitable, but ultimately, he thinks he’ll carve out his own path.

“We’re friends. We’re brothers. We have the same last name,” he said. “I have nothing against that, and there’s nothing bad about it, but Khabib is Khabib, and Said is Said.

“Khabib is going to have his own legacy, and I’m going to try to make my own.”